June Aldcroft led our service for Pentecost. Music was provided by Neil & Jill Barnett. Short extracts from Genesis 1, John 16, Acts 2 and Galatians 5 were read by Gerry & Margaret Maxwell. After prayers of thanks for the fruits of the spirit, that they may fill us today, we sang Paul Armstrong’s hymn: Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
Until the 1970s Whitsunday was a bank holiday celebrating the coming of the Holy Spirit, surely of equal importance to Christmas and Easter. Nowadays, sadly, we have a secular spring holiday.
Difficult concepts can be explained to children at their level. Each child here was given a small bottle of bubbles to illustrate the power of the Holy Spirit. When God is in your heart he makes a difference.
The timing of God’s gift was perfect for the disciples. The city of Jerusalem was crammed with pilgrims for the Jewish festival celebrating freedom and the Laws of Moses. Thousands therefore heard Peter’s first sermon explaining the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. The simple northern disciples were were given the power to communicate with all. The tongues of fire symbolising God’s presence were understood by the Jews from many references in the Old Testament. For us Pentecost is an assurance that God goes with us and guides us. June prayed for the gifts of the Spirit to fill us all.